by Marie Kauna – EMTV Online, Port Moresby
A proper information system for disaster is an important area of development that can help the operations of disaster management and reduction in Papua New Guinea.
The country, like other global nations, is prone to natural disasters; drought and frost, earthquake and landslides, rising sea levels, sinking islands, volcanic eruptions and ethnic clashes.
In 1987, the Disaster Management Act was established for disaster management of the country and has been supported by the National Disaster Risk Management Plan.
Since its establishment, disaster management and operations have been operating under the Act. Although it has under this operation fully utilised all possible and available resource during disaster, there is still more needed to boost and improve the country’s disaster management operation.
One of the drives identified that can help lead to an effective disaster management is the implementation of an integrated information management system for disaster.
UNDP in its initiative to help strengthen disaster risk management in the country is working in partnership with the PNG National Disaster Centre to set up the country’s integrated disaster information management system for disaster.
The main aim of the initiative is to identify existing missing gaps in the system and propose for the development of an effective disaster information management system.
This will enable an easier flow of communication, management, control and delivering of needed service and aid to those affected by the natural disaster.
Furthermore, it will record updated, most relevant and timely information about the disaster, the damages and the losses. This will help see equal distribution of service to the needy and also allow for future preparedness.
The initiative is said to be the country’s first integrated information system for disasters, and is hoped to help boost the disaster management and reduction operations of the country.
